1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hitch assembly for mounting to a truck frame with an integrated hitch mounting structure or panel and a method of installing a hitch to such a frame without removing the truck bed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitch assemblies have been developed for securing a hitch ball in the bed of a pick-up or flat bed truck to which a gooseneck of a trailer may be attached. U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,898 assigned to B&W Custom Truck Beds, Inc. discloses such a hitch assembly with a hitch ball retention sleeve welded to a base frame which is then connected to the frame members of the vehicle beneath a hole cut through the load bed so that a hole in the retention sleeve aligns with the hole through the load bed. The hitch ball has a base or stem which can be inserted through the hole in the load bed and into the retention sleeve. A pin is used to secure the hitch ball stem in the retention sleeve.
Truck manufacturers have recently introduced trucks having frames with integrated structure to which a hitch base or hitch assembly may be secured without having to modify the truck frame to do so. Referring to FIG. 1, a frame cross member 10 is shown for a Dodge® or Ram® truck which extends below a truck bed floor 11. The frame cross member 10 is mounted between the longitudinal rails (not shown) of the truck frame with the rails received within horizontal and longitudinally extending recesses or receivers 12 formed on the end of the frame cross member 10 between upper and lower mounting flanges 13 and 14. The frame cross member 10 is formed as a C-shaped channel member 16 having depending front and rear legs or side walls 17 and 18 and an interconnecting web 20 which extends in closely spaced relation below the truck bed floor 11. The web 20 includes a central support panel 22 extending between upper ends of the side walls 17 and 18 and downwardly recessed outer support panels 23 and 24. The upper mounting flanges 13 project outward from ends of the channel member 16 and each lower flange 14 is spaced below a respective upper flange 13 by front and rear gussets 26 and 27 projecting downward from the side walls 17 and 18 of the channel member 16.
A hitch member receiving hole 31 is formed in and extends through the central support panel 22. The hole 31 is sized larger than the width or diameter of a ball type hitch member 32 having a hitch ball head 33 and a hitch ball base or stem 34 such that the hitch member 32 may be passed through the receiving hole 31. A plurality of mounting holes 36 are formed in the web 20 around the hitch member receiving hole 31. In the embodiment shown, the mounting holes 36 are formed through the recessed outer support panels 23 and 24. Three holes 36 are formed on each side of the hitch member receiving hole 31. The holes 36 in each set of three holes 36 extend in equally spaced alignment relative to one another and the centers of each set of three holes 36 extend in linear alignment at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis extending through the hitch member receiving hole 31. The holes 36 are adapted to receive bolts for bolting a hitch assembly to the frame cross member 10.
The frame cross member 10 is adapted to permit installation of a hitch assembly during assembly of the truck or afterwards. When a hitch assembly is installed during assembly, bolts may be readily inserted through the web 20 before the truck bed is attached to the frame with the stem of each bolt extending downward through a respective hole in the outer support panel 23 or 24 and through aligned bolt holes in a hitch assembly positioned therebelow with nuts then secured on the end of the bolts below the hitch assembly and the heads of the bolts supported on the respective support panel 23 or 24. It is also known to connect the bolts together with a strap welded between the bolt heads. The outer support panels 23 and 24 are recessed downward relative to the central support panel 22 to provide space below the truck bed floor 11 to receive the heads of the bolts.
Installing a hitch assembly after the truck has been assembled has proven difficult without first removing or at least partially raising the truck bed off of the frame to allow bolts to be inserted through the mounting holes 36 with the heads of the bolts above the support panels 23 and 24 and a nut secured to each bolt below the hitch assembly. The gap formed between the truck bed floor 11 and the downwardly recessed outer mounting panels 23 and 24 is too small or narrow relative to the head of a an appropriately sized bolt to permit inserting the bolt generally horizontally through the gap, which is open along the outer ends of outer mounting panels 23 and 24, and then rotating the bolt ninety degrees to pass the stem of the bolt downward through one of the bolt holes 36. In addition, it is extremely difficult for an installer to insert the stem of a bolt up through the hitch assembly and one of the bolt holes 36 in the cross-member 10 while trying to position a nut in line over the bolt hole 36 to readily permit threading of the bolt upward through the nut without first removing the bed. Therefore, known hitch installation methods or instructions typically recommend first removing the truck bed from the frame.
Removing a truck bed from the truck frame to permit attachment of a hitch assembly to the frame is not desirable. Doing so increase the risk of damaging sensitive structure or equipment including the fuel fill neck, fuel lines, portions of the exhaust system, the wiring harness, hoses, vents and the fuel pump. The installation process may also result in damage to the cab. The process of removing the bed is time consuming and therefore adds to the cost of installing a hitch assembly. Due to the substantial weight of the truck bed, efforts to remove the bed increase the risk of the installer suffering an injury resulting in greater risk of workers compensation claims and added costs to the installer.
The construction of the frame cross-member 10 also presents obstructions, such as gussets 26 and 27, which limit the ability to readily adapt existing hitch assemblies to the cross member 10.